FAO Fisheries & Aquaculture
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Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Fisheries and for a world without hunger Aquaculture Department National Aquaculture Sector Overview Morocco Replaced by: French version (2015) I. Characteristics, Structure And Resources Of The Sector IV. Trends, Issues And Development a. Summary V. References b. History And General Overview a. Bibliography c. Human Resources b. Related Links d. Cultured Species e. Practices/Systems Of Culture II. Sector Performance a. Production b. Market And Trade c. Contribution To The Economy III. Promotion And Management Of The Sector a. The Institutional Framework b. The Governing Regulations c. Applied Research, Education And Training Characteristics, structure and resources of the sector Summary In 2004, aquaculture production in Morocco was 1 690 tonnes, which only accounted for 0.19 percent of total national fish production. Marine aquaculture output was 788 tonnes, or 47 percent of aggregate national aquaculture production, mainly of European seabass and gilthead seabream which accounted for 91 percent of total production. These two species were being intensively farmed, in floating cages in the lagoons, and in open water. This kind of aquaculture had begun in the 1980s, but then it stagnated, and even declined, as a result of the steep collapse of European market prices and the winding-up of two aquaculture companies. At the present time, there are two aquaculture companies still operating along the Mediterranean coast. The production is almost entirely exported to Italy, Spain and France. In 2004, inland aquaculture produced 685 tonnes, or 40 percent of total national aquaculture production. It was largely dominated by the common carp, accounting for 88 percent of output. All the production was used to restock the dammed ponds. Two companies produced carp for the National Office for Potable Water and Combating Dam Eutrophication (Office National de l'eau potable et la lutte contre l'eutrophisation des retenues). Fifty tonnes of rainbow trout were produced by only one company, raised semi-intensively in natural and artificial ponds, entirely for the local market. Ever since the emergence of marine shellfish culture in the 1950s, output has remained virtually unchanged at around 200 tonnes. In 2004, six enterprises produced 160 tonnes, mainly cupped oysters, for the local market. Several government departments share the management of national aquaculture. The Livestock Directorate at the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Maritime Fisheries (MADRPM) is responsible for enforcing health regulations. The High Commission for Waterways and Forests and Combating Desertification (HCEFLCD) manages and oversees inland aquaculture. Marine aquaculture is managed by the Maritime FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Department Fisheries Department of MADRPM, which is also responsible for issuing authorisation for all aquaculture projects, and for importing and marketing aquaculture products in close conjunction with the Livestock Directorate. Conversely, the Ministry of Public Works is responsible for issuing permits to occupy the public maritime domain. Government authorities acknowledge that there are many obstacles to developing aquaculture and have been trying to establish an economically viable and biologically stable aquaculture sector. It was against this background that the government sought FAO support in 1997 to carry out a survey of the national aquaculture potential. In 2003, the first National Aquaculture Days were organised for all the stakeholders involved in the sector. At the same time, HCEFLCD undertook on a survey of inland aquaculture and its development prospects. History and general overview Marine aquaculture began about 50 years ago when oysters were first bred in the Atlantic Oualidia Lagoon, south of Casablanca, producing approximately 200 tonnes. A few oyster farms are still operational. The first intensive sea fish breeding trials were undertaken in the 1980s on Mediterranean sites suitable for this kind of aquaculture. At the present time, the industry is dominated by two companies: Marost and Aqua M'diq. Marost (Nador Lagoon) was established in 1985 to develop the production of oysters, clams, shrimps/prawns, European seabass and gilthead seabream. But it was soon forced to change its range of products and adapt its production methods. Furthermore, the various production phases were integrated, from breeding to packaging and the shipping of the products, including in-house research and monitoring services (pathology, bacteriology, nutrition, etc). Production currently focuses on the European seabass and gilthead seabream. Aqua M'diq is on the Bay of M'diq, also on the Mediterranean coast. Inland aquaculture began in 1924 with the establishment of the fish farming station at Azrou. The original purpose of the facility was to promote angling as a sport, by breeding and releasing fingerlings with a high nutritional and economic value, particularly into the Middle Atlas Lakes and various dams and impoundments. After the 1980s, following communities of professional fishers had settled in these environments, the government redirected its work towards fish breeding for food production using intensive systems, in natural and artificial ponds. Private enterprise took off rapidly after the 1990s, with the guaranteed support of HCEFLD. A few private aquaculture units that are still in operation today and continue to raise eels, trout, common carp, Nile tilapia, and Pacific cupped oysters. In 2004, fisheries catches exceeded 907 626 tonnes worth, 559 millions US dollars. Aquaculture contributed 1 698 tonnes of this output, worth approximately 6.4 million US dollars. Human resources At the present time aquaculture employed 607 people nationwide, 454 of whom are full-time, 112 are occasional workers, and 41 perform miscellaneous duties (fisheries, wholesalers, intermediaries, transporters, etc.). It should nevertheless be noted that each of these people provide a livelihood for an average of five other people, totalling, some 3 000 people. The following table gives the breakdown by enterprise in June 2005: Permanent Occasionnel Other Entreprise Total personnel personnel personnel Marost* 96 10 41 147 Aqua M'diq 20 15 0 35 Dakhla 10 - - 10 Khnéfiss 7 - - 7 FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Department Oualidia 128 17 - 145 Inland aquaculture 48 70 - 118 CNPH 10 - - 10 INRH 40 - - 40 Science faculties 95 - - 95 TOTAL 454 112 41 607 Source: Survey by Me El Ahdal, SIPAM National Coordinator (*) The figures on the Marost Company are likely to fall significantly over the coming months Cultured species The following marine species are currently being farmed: Gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata) and European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax): indigenous species, namely, alevins caught in a natural environment and lagoon-fattened (Nador), and alevins imported from Spain, pre-fattened in tanks and then fattened in cages in the lagoon (Nador). Hatcheries and nurseries developed locally by the Marost Company. Since October 2003, the cage-culture of meagre (Argyrosomus regius) has been practised. Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus): the traditional practice of fattening bluefin tuna caught using “madrague” tuna nets in the course of the Atlantic-Mediterranean migrations. Portuguese cupped oyster (Crassostrea angulata): a species imported in the 1950s from Spain and Portugal by Moroccan investors. Gasar cupped oyster (Crassostrea gasar): a species imported from Senegal for fattening on the Atlantic coast. Pacific cupped oyster (Crassostrea gigas): a species imported from Japan for fattening on the Atlantic coast; at the present time, French oyster spat is imported for breeding on the Oualidia site. Spat breeding trials are being conducted at Marost for fattening at Oualidia, and imports are being gradually replaced. Flat European oyster (Ostrea edulis): an indigenous Mediterranean species, initially bred in Nador lagoon; breeding is underdeveloped because of export issues. Grooved carpet shell (Ruditapes decussatus): indigenous Mediterranean and Atlantic species; fished on natural clam beds for export to the European markets. Kuruma prawn (Penaeus japonicus), a non-indigenous species imported from Europe in a post-larval state for the Mediterranean aquaculture farms; production trials are being conducted by Marost and SAM. Both indigenous and exotic species are farmed in inland aquaculture farms. The indigenous species: brown trout (Salmo trutta fario macrostigma), barbel (Barbus barbus), the European eel (Anguilla anguilla), allis shad (Alosa alosa), twaite shad (Alosa finte) and flathead grey mullet (Mugil cephalus). Some of the aquaculture species introduced less than half a century ago have become acclimatised and are currently in production: rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), Northern pike (Esox lucius), common carp (Cyprinus carpio), grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idellus), silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix), Largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides), European perch (Perca fluviatilis), pike-perch (Stizostedion lucioperca), Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), noble crayfish (Astacus astacus) and spinycheek crayfish (Orconectes limosus). At the present time these species are being artificially reproduced in the National Hydrobiology and Aquaculture Centre (Centre National d'Hydrobiologie et de Pisciculture – CNHP) stations which produce more than 2 million fry anually. These fry are routinely planted in different aquatic environments to enrich their ichthyological fauna.